Mechanism for a wind deflector of an opeanble motor vehicle roof

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for a wind deflector of a motor vehicle roof is provided which includes a raising lever which is moved in a raising direction by means of a spring. A displacement of a back edge of the wind deflector in a lengthwise direction is balanced during the swiveling motion by means of a compensation device. A spring is used directly as the compensation device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The invention relates to a mechanism for the wind deflector of anopenable motor vehicle roof which includes a raising lever which ismoved in a raising direction by means of a spring, wherein thedisplacement of a back edge of the wind deflector in a lengthwisedirection is balanced during a swiveling motion by means of acompensation device.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] European Patent Application 0 955 154 A1 discloses one suchmechanism in which a raising lever is raised by a spring element whichis located essentially horizontally in the closed position of the winddeflector by means of a carriage/crank arrangement which can be moved bythe spring element. Since, in this known arrangement, in addition to thecarriage arrangement, a guide for the carriage and a stationary carriagearrangement are also necessary, it is relatively complex in structure.Also, due to the plurality of components, it requires increasedinstallation space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] One object of the present invention is to overcome thedisadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for awind deflector which has a simple structure and reduces the installationspace requirement.

[0007] The above objects along with other objects are achieved byproviding a wind deflector including a compensation device, which isprovided between the wind deflector and the raising lever forcompensating for the motion of the rear edge of the wind deflector inthe lengthwise direction during swiveling motion wherein thecompensation device is formed directly by a spring. This obviates thenecessity of additional guides, for example in the form of elongatedholes.

[0008] One preferred embodiment of the invention calls for the springacting preferably via a connecting rod on the back end of the raisinglever. Since the installation space in an openable motor vehicle roof ismost severely limited forward for a motor vehicle roof contour (whichgenerally rises slightly to the rear with respect to installationheight), this arrangement, in which the spring is located farther to therear, is especially advantageous.

[0009] It is preferable that the raising lever, for swiveling the winddeflector back into the closed position, is pressed down by thehorizontally movable cover. Since the raising lever in the closedposition preferably assumes a prolate position, in another embodiment ofthe invention, at the start of the raising motion, a second spring actsas a kick spring from underneath on the raising lever in order to moveit up and out of the prolate position.

[0010] One advantageous use of the present invention is to act on a winddeflector louver which, in a closed position, is located flush with thecover located behind the wind deflector louver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective partial view of a motorvehicle roof incorporating the mechanism of the present invention; and

[0012]FIG. 2 shows the wind deflector mechanism of the present inventionin a schematic side view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013]FIG. 1 illustrates a solid motor vehicle roof 1 in which a frontwindow 2 is adjoined by an apron 3, a wind deflector 4 made as a winddeflector louver, a movable cover 5 which is located behind thedeflector, and a fixed roof pane 6 which lies behind the cover 5.

[0014] The motor vehicle roof 1 is bounded laterally by side members 10which are connected to “A” columns 7, “B” columns 8 and “C” columns 9.The cover 5 can be raised with its rear edge and can be moved to theback over the fixed roof pane 6 along side guides (not shown).

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the wind deflector 4 is supportednear its front edge by means of a swivel support 12 to be able to swivelon the fixed motor vehicle roof 1 or on the apron 3. Near the rear edgeof the wind deflector 4, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a raisinglever 11 is supported by means of a coupling 13. The back end of theraising lever 11 is connected by means of a lower coupling 14 to aconnecting rod 16 with a back end attached to a spring 17 which issupported essentially horizontally on the fixed motor vehicle roof 1 oron a roof frame which is not shown and which is located at the side ofthe cover 5.

[0016] When the wind deflector 4 is located in its closed position, itsback end adjoins flush with the front edge of the closed cover 5. Inthis closed position, the raising lever 11 assumes roughly a prolatehorizontal position. The connecting rod 16, which is guided in aroof-mounted guide 15, compresses the spring 17 with its back end. Sincethe force of the spring 17 in the prolate position of the raising lever11 cannot raise the raising lever 11, a kick spring 22 is provided toact on the bottom of the raising lever 11 and moves it into a positionwhich is slightly bent toward the top at the start of raising motion, asis shown by the broken line in FIG. 2. The kick spring 22 can be omittedwhen the raising lever 11 in the closed position does not assume aprolate position, but a position which is slightly bent toward the top.It should be noted that another set of components, i.e. springs 17, 22etc., are preferably provided on the opposite side of the motor vehicleroof 1.

[0017] Although the springs 17 in the schematics are shown as helicalcompression springs, it should be understood that the springs 17 canalso be built differently. For example, springs 17 may be gas pressuresprings. In addition to the schematic embodiment showing kick springs 22as bent leaf springs, any other form of springs which exert pressure onthe raising lever 11 and imposes a small upward movement on the raisinglever may be used as the kick springs 22. For example, a rubber springis suitable for this purpose.

We claim:
 1. A mechanism for a wind deflector of a motor vehicle roof,wherein the wind deflector is capable of a swiveling motion and includesa back edge, comprising: a raising lever; a spring for moving theraising lever in a raising direction; a compensation device forbalancing the displacement of the back edge of the wind deflector in alengthwise direction during the swiveling motion of the wind deflector,the compensation device including a first spring acting on a back end ofthe raising lever.
 2. The mechanism of claim 1, further including aconnecting rod positioned to operatively connect the first spring to theback end of the raising lever, and a guide for guiding the connectingrod.
 3. The mechanism of claim 1, further including a horizontallymovable cover for pressing down the raising lever.
 4. The mechanism ofclaim 2, further including a horizontally movable cover for pressingdown the raising lever.
 5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the raisinglever assumes a prolate position when the wind deflector is in a closedposition, further including a second spring for initially moving theraising lever upwardly at the start of a raising motion.
 6. Themechanism of claim 2, wherein the raising lever assumes a prolateposition when the wind deflector is in a closed position, furtherincluding a second spring for initially moving the raising leverupwardly at the start of a raising motion.
 7. The mechanism of claim 3,wherein the raising lever assumes a prolate position when the winddeflector is in a closed position, further including a second spring forinitially moving the raising lever upwardly at the start of a raisingmotion.
 8. The mechanism of claim 1, further including a cover locatedbehind the wind deflector, wherein the wind deflector is a winddeflector louver located flush with the cover when the wind deflectorlouver is in a closed position.
 9. The mechanism of claim 2, furtherincluding a cover located behind the wind deflector, wherein the winddeflector is a wind deflector louver located flush with the cover whenthe wind deflector louver is in a closed position.
 10. The mechanism ofclaim 3, wherein the wind deflector is a wind deflector louver which ina closed position is located flush with the cover, and the cover islocated behind the wind deflector louver.
 11. The mechanism of claim 5,further including a cover located behind the wind deflector, wherein thewind deflector is a wind deflector louver located flush with the coverwhen the wind deflector louver is in the closed position.